Definition

The quality of being emotionally insensitive or unfeeling towards others.

Example

His callousness towards the suffering of others shocked everyone around him.

Conversation

Did you notice how he reacted to the news?

Yeah, it showed a real sense of callousness towards the situation.

It's surprising how some people can be so indifferent.

I know, right? It’s like they don’t even care about others' feelings.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Callousness → It is formed from "callous" (from Latin *callosus*, meaning hard or thick-skinned) and the suffix "-ness" (meaning the state or quality of). The word "callousness" refers to the state of being emotionally insensitive or unfeeling, akin to being hard or thick-skinned.

Memory Tip

Think of being 'hard' or 'thick-skinned' ('callous') to remember that 'callousness' means a lack of emotional sensitivity.

Visually Confused Words